Flush valve



May 31,' 1932. B. o. TlLDEN 1,861,250-

FLUSH VALVE Filed Nov 10, 1931 f//f/ /f//f l/f/////////// @wf @M A TTORNEY- Y Patented May 31, 1932 Ultil'lmlfi PATENT FFIC BERT 0. TILDEN, OF TRENTN, NEW JERSEY, .ASSIGNOR TO B. O. T. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, .A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY FLUSH VALVE Application led. November 10, 1931.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in flush valves to vbe operated in connection with the water closet outfits.

The invention relates particularly to iinprovements in the flush valve and related parts, shown and described in my United States Patent No. 1,808,329, dated llune 22, 1931.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve as well as to correct certain defects of my former patent, in order to render the construction ci the valve and related parts more durable and its operation more reliable. A further object is to improve the mechanical arrangement ot the valve-supporting parts, to render said parts more simple and positive in operation, less expensive to manufacture and assemble and less liable to get out of order when roughly handled. A further obj ect is to provide novel means for creating water friction or resistance to govern the re-seating of the Hush valve, in order to provide for the proper re-filling of the trap of the bowl during the interval between the siphoning action and the complete emptying of the flush tanlr. And a further object is to provide novel adjustable means for regulating the lift of the valve at the beginning of the flushing operation.

I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detailed description which follows, and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view ot the flush tank, the cover being removed. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section, taken on line 2-2 of F ig. l, showing the valve and related parts in elevation, the valve being` in open position. F ig. 3 is a central vertical crosssection, tal-Ien substantially on line 2`-2 of Fig. l, the llush Valve being closed. Fig. a is a partial elevation and partial central vertical section of the overflow pipe, the lioat and the flush valve. F ig. 5 is a horizontal section of the float chamber and overflow pipe, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3, showing the flow-resisting flange. Fig. G is a central vertical section, taken on line 6 6 of F ig. 5. Fig. 7 is a bottom end vi ew ot the llush valve and associated parts. And Fig. 8 is a detail Serial No. 574,053.

view of the rocking lever and lift-rod, taken in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2.

ln the drawings, 2 represents a china or other lush tank, whose bottom 2 is formed with a central opening 2a for flushing purposes, and an opening 2b for the inflow of the flushing water. The cover of the tank is indicated at 2c in Fig. 3. 3 represents the water supply pipe which is surmounted by a ballcock 3', that refills the tanlr` by means of a pipe 3a. The ballcock 3 is controlled by the usual ballfloat 36, supported by a rod 30, that connects with the cock.

7 represents the usual overflow pipe, that is preferably disposed in axial alignment with a cage-lilre valve body 5, which is formed with a depending threaded spud portion 5 that extends through. the opening 2a and may connect with a water closet bowl (not shown). The valve body 5 is formed with an annular seat 5a, which is disposed substantially in the plane ot the inner bottom surface of the tank, so as to enable the tanlr to be entirely emptied at the end of each flushing operation. The cage portion of the body 5 extends above the seat 5c and coinprises an elevated annular portion 5b that is supported by legs 5c, whose top ends comprise perforated and threaded lugs 5d, that extend above the ring 5b. The legs 5c are spaced suiiiciently to insure the tree admission of the water to the discharge opening surrounded by the seat 5a.

6 represents a cylindrical float chamber having a normally open top 6 and an integral bottom 6a, that preferably projects outwardly in the form of an annular flange or ledge 6b, which rests upon the ring 56 and loosely engages the lugs 5cl, the said float chamber being held in the position by thumh-screws 5c, that engage the ledge 6b, as shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3. Interior-ly the bottom 6a is preferably formed with an upstanding annular flange 6c that surrounds an arial opening 6d of the bottom 6a, and coincides with the valve seat 5a. In the opening 6d is loosely disposed a reciprocable tube 7, upon which is rigidly mounted an air-tight drum 8, that serves as the lloat for the tube 7 and a flush valve 9, the latter being threaded to the lower end of the said tube, and therefore may be applied and removed at will. The tube 7 in the present showing performs the usual function of the well-known overflow pipes which ordinarily have been disposed in various parts of the tank and have no connection whatever with the flush valves. In the more modern outfits, the overflow pipes are supported directly by the valve bodies, and are usually in the form of Lshaped or offset connections, which discharge the overflow water laterally through restricted passages into the main outlet openings some distance below the valve seats. In the instant case, the overflow pipe is straight, its bore being unrestricted and preferably of such diameter as to effectually and safely drain off all excess water supplied by any municipal pressures, in case the ballcocls fail to close for any reason. The float 8 is preferably of less diameter and shorter than the cylinder 6 to enable the flushing water when its level is higher than the top of said cylinder', to gravitate past the float, fill all empty spaces in said cylinder, and render the float sufficiently buoyant and free to perform the important work of controlling 0r timing the closing of the valve 9. By this loose disposition of the float 8 in cylinder 6, a portion of the flushing water completely envelopes the float during and after each refilling of the tank, and thus provides a constant film of water to initiate and quicken the reflooding of said cylinder whenever the pipe 7, float 8 and valve 9 are raised by a single motion, to start the flushing operations, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. Q and 3. This sudden flooding of the bottom portion of cylinder 6 by the elevation of the float disposes a relatively large body of water beneath the float, which must be drained off through the sloppy opening 6d, in order to allow the float to descend and close the valve 9. The opening 6d, as explained, is slightly larger' than the diameter of the pipe T, and naturally slows down the descent of said pipe to such extent that, the relatively large volume of water depended upon to effect the proper siphoning of the closet discharges into the bowl before the complete draining of cylinder 6 is effected. This retarding of the closing of valve 9 is controlled mainly by the degree of the looseness at the point where the pipe 7 passes through the bottom of cylinder 6, which is so calculated as to effect the closing of the valve at the moment the last of the flushing water is discharged from the tank. The importance of this retarding and closing of the valve will be appreciated when it is understood that in this type of water closet, the siphon action is timed to termin ate while the tank 2 still contains sufficient water to properly refill the trap of the bowl, and the completion of this refilling should coincide with the emptying of the cylinder 6 and the consequent closing of the valve 9.

In my former patent, the float chamber 7 is formed with a loose plane bot-tom 7 formed with a central opening 7c, over which plane the float-suspending water flows directly towards and into the opening in which the overflow pipe 5 is disposed, without any rcsistance, and therefore creates at that point a vertex surrounding pipe 5 that exerts a strong drag or suction which tends to pull the float and valve towards the seat long before the tank is emptied, or at least before the trap of the bowl has time to properly refill. To remedy this trouble or defect, the bottom of the present float chamber 6 is formed with an upstanding annular flange or baffle 6c, which creates water friction or resistance te retard the descent of the float and valve to such extent that both the siphoning and subsequent refilling of the said trap may be effec-ted in advance of the final closing of the valve 9. rlhe provision of the ledge 6c eliminates the trap refilling tube in common use, and thereby reduces the number of parts and renders the flushing mechanism more efficient and reliable. rlhe ledge 60 normally spaces the float from the bottom of cylinder and tends to cause the water, especially' during the final flushing intervals, to offer resistance to the gravitation of the float, thereby slowing down its descent following the completion of the siphoning action and retards the closing of the valve 9, until the water remaining in the tank escapes to refill the trap, as explained. rlhe bottom of the float chamber 6 is formed with a small perforation or vent 6e to insure the complete draining and flushing of said bottom and prevent sediment from accumulating in the space that lies below the level of flange` 6c. 'lhe hole 6e also tends to destroy any vacuum due to the relatively close spacing ofthe float and chamber 6 and the restricted discharge opening 6d surrounding the pipe 7. rl`he vent Ge discharges its capacity of water during the descent of the float, and its size is accordingly computed in reference to the area of the opening around the pipe 7, in order that the timing of the seating of the valve, as explained, may not be disturbed.

The present float valve will close under any municipal pressure, regardless of the nature and design of the water closet bowl or the designy of the flush tank, in the same given time. This novel accomplishment is due to the fact that the valve 9 will not close until the tank is entirely emptied. The provision of the straight pipe 7, which directly supports the valve 9 and the float 8, and the novel control of said related parts, which effects the emptying cf the tanlr at each flushing operation, enables me to greatly reduce the height as well as the capacity, of

the flush tank, for the reason that the present tank needs only to carry substantially the exact volume of water required for flushing the bowl and refilling the trap. This enables me to establish the safe level of the flushing body not to exceed one inch below the top of the pipe 7 (see dotted line a: in Fig. 2), without danger of the tank overi'iowing, in case the ballcock fails to close through the breaking of the balliioat rod, or from other causes. The valve 9 is supported directly by the overiiow pipe 7, and comprises an annular metal plate 9', which is threaded to the lower end of said pipe, like a nut. The bottom face of the plate 9 is preferably formed with an annular recess 9a., to receive an annular packing, such as leather or other slightly compressible substance 9c, that alone makes contact with the seat 5a see Fig. e) and confines the fiushing water in the tank. The disc 9c is held seated in the plate 9 by a lock-nut 9d, which may also be screwed on to the pipe 7, as shown.

The valve 9 may be opened by a manually rockable handle l0, which is supported by the front wall of the tank 2, said handle connecting inside of the tank with a rockable lever l0, Whose free end is formed with a relatively large shallow hook, as 10a, that engages an adjustable vertically reciprocating' lift-rod l2, which passes loosely through spaced perforated lugs 7 that project laterally from the top end portion of the pipe 7. For this purpose, the top end of rod l2 is formed with a loop l2 to receive the hook 10a, and its lower end is threaded and tted with lock-nuts, as 12a, bywhich the reciprocable movements of the pipe 7 may be regulated. rlhe rod 12 preferably loosely engages the lugs 7 so as to effect the substantially true vertical lifting of the pipe 7 by permitting a slight shifting of the loop l2 relatively to the hook 10a. By this provision, the valve 9 is normally held by gravity substantially parallel with the plane of the seat 5a, and is not likely to cant or otherwise cause imperfect seating. To start the flushing operations, simply involves the raising of pipe 7, ioat 8 and valve 9, as one part, from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described I claim, is-

l. The combination with a flush tank having a flushing opening in its bottom surrounded by a valve seat connected with a cage, and a valve to close said opening' and control the flushing operations, of a tube to support and operate said valve adapted to conduct the overflow water towards said opening, a float mounted concentrically on said tube and movable therewith, an open top chamber supported by said cage and loosely enclosing said float, the bottom of said chamber having an opening to loosely receive said my invention, what tube and being surrounded by an upstanding flange to space said iioat from said bottom and to create water friction to resist closing of the valve until the tank is emptied, and means to lift said tube to open the valve to start the flushing action.

2. rlhe combination with a flush tank having a flushing opening in its bottom, a valve seat concentric thereto, and a valve to close said opening, of a tube to support said valve and discharge overflow water into said opening, a drum-like float mounted on said tube and movable therewith, an open top chamber loosely enclosing` said float, the bottom of said chamber having an opening to loosely receive said tube and being surrounded by an upstanding flange to normally space said float from said bottom and to agitate the water flowing through said bottom opening to resist closing of the valve until the tank is emptied, the bottoni of said chamber being vented to prevent creation of a vacuum in said chamber during the closing movement of the valve, and means to open said valve to start the flushing action.

3. The combination with a flush tank having a flushing opening in its bottom and a valve to control the flow of flushing water through said opening, of a tube to support said valve and to conduct the overiow water towardssaid opening, a lioat mounted concentrically on said tube, a cylinder to enclose said float and receive a portion of the flushing water to buoy the float, the bottom of said cylinder being perforated to receive said tube and to drain the cylinder, said perforation being of greater diameter than the tube and being surrounded by an upwardly facing flange adapted to interrupt the free drainage of the water from said cylinder through said perforation to prevent the closing of said valve in advance of the emptying of the tank.

4. The combination with a flush tank having` a flushing opening in its bottom and a valve to control said opening, of a iioat chamber mounted above said opening having an open top to receive a portion of the flushing water and a concentric opening in its bottom to drain the chamber, an upstanding annular' baffle surrounding said concentric opening, a cylindrical float loosely disposed in said chamber, a pipe passing axially through the float and through said baille, said pipe being of smaller diameter than the opening in the baille, means to elevate said pipe to unseat the valve for discharging the iiushing water from the tank, said elevation adapted to eect the flooding of the bottom of said chamber for suspending the float, said baffle adapted to offer resistance to retard the draining of the flood water from said chamber to cause the closing of the valve to coincide with the emptying of the tank, and said chamber being o `the empty spaces of said cylinder adapted to rigidly mounted on the lower end of said vented to prevent creation of a vacuum therein during the descent of the float and valve.

5. The combination with a flush tank hai7- ing a ushing opening in its bottom itted with a valve seat, of a flushing mechanism comprising a {ioat cylinder having an open top mounted above said seat, a drum float loosely and concentrically disposed in said cylinder, a tube passing Concentrically through said Cylinder' and said drum and being movable with said drum, a valve mounted on the lower end of said tube and coinciding with said seat, said cylinder adapted to be partially illed with the iushing water that envelopes said drum during the filling of the tank, the bottom of said cylinder having an opening through which said tube passes, means to raise said tube and drum for opening the valve to start the flushing action, said raising of the tube effecting the flooding of the cylinder beneath said drum to buoy the drum, said opening being larger than said tube to enable the water to drain from the cylinder and being surrounded by an upstanding flange adapted to create water frietion to delay the closing of the valve until the tank is emptied.

6. A iushing apparatus in combination with a tank having inlet and outlet openings, a valve body in register with the outlet having a seat disposed substantially in the plane of the tank bottom, a cylinder mounted concentrically in said body, a loat loosely disposed in said cylinder, an annular valve, an overflow pipe passing axially through said cylinder, said valveand said float and being rigidly secured to both of said latter parts, adapted when raised to enable the contents of the tank to discharge through said outlet,

be filled with flushing water during the filling of the tank, the opening in the bottom of said cylinder through which said pipe passes being of larger diameter than the pipe to al- Ylow the water to drain from said cylinder during the closing of the valve, said opening being surrounded by an annular baile adapted to retard the draining of the cylinder and prevent the closing of the valve until th-e tank is emptied and means for raising said i e and unseating said valve.

7. A flush valve for a water closet in combination with a flush tank having inlet and outlet openings, a cage-like body overlying `vJthe outlet having a seat in registry with the outlet, a cylinder rising from said cage, a valve disposed between the seat and said cylinder, an overflow pipe passing concentrically through said cylinder, said valve being pipe, a float mounted concentrically on said pipe and loosely disposed in said cylinder, said cylinder adapted to receive a portion of the flushing water during the filling of the tank, means for raising said pipe to unseat said valve and flood said cylinder beneath said float to buoy the latter during the emptying of the tank, said cylinder having an opening in its bottom through which said pipe passes, said opening being larger in diameter than said pipe to enable the flood Water to be drained from the cylinder, said bottom openings being surrounded by an upturned annular flange adapted to slow down the drainage of said cylinder to permit the emptying of the tank in advance of the closing of the valve.

in testimony whereof I afX my signature.

BERT O. TILDEN. 

